4068, 4346, 4351, 4839 4774 Reed committee and report__ S Specific operational requirement (SOR) aircraft. Strategic airlift: 4274, 4299, 4303, 4342, 4414, 4483, 4578, 4600, 4659, 4704, 4851, 4884 4059, 4086, 4095, 4105, 4183, 4849 4113, 4183 4062, 4071, 4105 Marine Corps requirements. 4110 Navy requirements. 4109 Uncompromised cargo aircraft (SOR). 4274, 4299, 4303, 4342, 4414, 4483, 4578, 4600, 4659, 4704, 4851, 4884 [No. 54] HEARINGS BEFORE SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL MILITARY AIRLIFT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL AIRLIFT, Washington, D.C., Tuesday, March 8, 1960; The subcommittee met at 10:12 a.m., Hon. L. Mendel Rivers (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. RIVERS. I am going to ask the committee to come to order. We are a little late getting airborne, but when we do get airborne, we are going through with this hearing and make a report. I would like to make a statement before we begin the formal hearings of our distinguished witnesses this morning. If you will bear with me-I have reduced this to a few pages which I would like to read at the outset of our hearings. Earlier this year, beginning on January 21, the House Armed Services Committee had its annual military posture briefing. During the course of those hearings it became abundantly clear that serious questions which had persisted, with reference to our national airlift, remained unsolved. This fact was of such concern to the chairman and the full committee that it was deemed both advisable and necessary to make a complete study of the entire situation. On January 29, 1960, in keeping with the decision of the committee, Mr. Vinson, chairman of the full committee, appointed this subcommittee for the purpose which I have stated. In order that the record be entirely clear on this point, I feel it would now be proper to insert in the record a copy of Mr. Vinson's letter of January 29, which letter sets forth the membership as well as the jurisdiction of the subcommittee. Without objection, we will put that letter in the record, Mr. Smart, at this time. Mr. SMART. Yes, sir. (The letter follows:) Hon. L. MENDEL RIVERS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. RIVERS: Pursuant to the authority contained in Committee Resolution No. 4, adopted January 21, 1959, I herewith appoint a special subcommittee for the purpose of conducting an inquiry into the adequacy, or inadequacy, of the national airlift, insofar as that national capability relates to the requirements of national defense. The membership of the committee is as follows: Mr. Rivers, chairman; Mr. Price, Mr. Hardy, Mr. Fisher, representing the majority; Mr. Gavin, Mr. Bray, and Mr. Becker, representing the minority, the minority membership having been designated after consultation with Mr. Arends, the ranking minority member. It shall be within the jurisdiction and responsibility of the subcommittee to undertake as promptly as possible a complete inquiry into all aspects of the national airlift including MATS, the CRAF program, other elements of military and civilian aviation pertinent to the subject, the type, number, availability, and adequacy of both aircraft, personnel, and required items of support for a national airlift in support of national defense, and such additional considerations as may be pertinent to the subject matter. The subcommittee is directed to file its conclusions and recommendations upon completion of its inquiry, within the current session of Congress and as early as may be consistent with a full and factual consideration on the subject. Sincerely, CARL VINSON, Chairman. Mr. RIVERS. In creating this subcommittee, the chairman stated, and I quote: I herewith appoint a special subcommittee for the purpose of conducting an inquiry into the adequacy, or inadequacy, of the national airlift, insofar as that national capability relates to the requirements of national defense. This is, indeed, a broad jurisdiction which has been conferred upon this subcommittee. But the scope of our jurisdiction emphasizes the desire and determination of the chairman and the full committee that this subject receive the attention which it deserves. When a subject of this importance remains unresolved for such a long period of time, it is clearly evident that those who have been charged with the responsibility to obtain a solution have failed and fully merit the criticism that results from such failure. In order that I might not be misunderstood on this point, I concede that criticism of the Congress as well as the executive branch is warranted. It has too often been true that the adequacy of our national airlift has been considered in piecemeal fashion. On the one hand there are those in the military who have reflected a conviction that our total airlift requirements should be handled on an exclusive military basis, including all of the aircraft and personnel which that would entail. Some of their opposite numbers in the civil aviation industry seem to feel that the military should relinquish most of this requirement to civil aviation, in spite of unquestioned military requirements and the overriding requirement that our airlift capability must be both available and responsive to military requirements in periods of both general war and national emergency. Without attempting to prejudge these questions, it seems to me that fairminded and objective people who are willing to make the effort required will find a solution to this problem. We are not dealing with a philosophic question. The subject under consideration results from military requirements and our capability, or lack of capability, to meet those requirements is reducible to facts. It is the responsibility of this subcommittee to ascertain those requirements and capabilities and to reduce them to facts. In doing this, we will hear from all the appropriate agencies of the Department of Defense, including the military departments. I anticipate that this endeavor will require approximately 2 weeks of subcommittee hearings. It is our hope that we may complete most of the military phase of this hearing by the weekend of March 19. It is our further hope that the legislative schedule within the House of Representatives will permit this subcommittee, during the week of March 21, to accept the joint invitation of the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Air Force to witness the largest airlift of American troops and military cargo that has ever been scheduled in peacetime. This airlift is known as Puerto Pine Big Slam. It will test the capability and readiness of one of the substantial segments of our military airlift capability. It will involve the airlift of some 20,000 troops and a substantial quantity of military cargo and will probably cost about $10. million. While this airlift was scheduled before this subcommittee began its activities, we are most gratified that it will coincide with our hearings and our efforts to solve the existing problems. After completion of the airlift, it will be most important that this subcommittee receive a critique from both the Army and the Air Force, and it is my hope that each of the departments will be in a position to give us such a critique not later than April 15. As I have previously said, it appears that the hearings on the military phase of this problem will require 2 weeks or more of hearings. Following that we hope to receive testimony from the Director of the Federal Aviation Agency, the Director of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, any other agencies of the Government which desire to be heard, and representatives of all segments of civil aviation who have a valid interest in the subject and who express a desire to be heard. I trust that all will now agree that we propose to consider all pertinent aspects of the national airlift. Now I would like to say a final word with reference to the conduct of our hearings. It is the desire of the subcommittee to hold all possible hearings in open session; but, security requirements make it mandatory that some of our hearings must be held in executive session. For instance, one of the keys to this whole problem lies in the requirements laid down by the Joint Chiefs of Staff for airlift in support of general war. Testimony on this subject is top secret. It begins in item 2 of the subcommittee agenda, which we will probably reach during this morning's session. At that time all persons without official status I will have to request to leave the room. Since the subcommittee deems it most important to have all subject matter presented by the highest ranking and most knowledgeable persons available, both civilian and military, within the Department of Defense, we have deemed it proper to open today's hearing with brief introductory statements of policy from the distinguished Deputy Secretary of Defense, Hon. James H. Douglas; the distinguished Secretary of the Army, Hon. Wilber M. Brucker; and the Secretary of the Air Force, Hon. Dudley Sharp. While I do not feel that the subcommittee will wish to question these witnesses at this morning's session, I fully anticipate that we will need them at a later date when the subject matter has become more fully developed and the problem areas more accurately defined. Now, Mr. Secretary Douglas, the subcommittee would be very happy to hear you, and, as I have said, a little later on we may want you to come back, after we have pinpointed some of the problems. You may proceed now in any way you please, Mr. Secretary. Mr. BECKER. Mr. Chairman, if I might, as a member of the minority, I would like to say something in concurrence with your statement.. I concur with everything you said, and I think it is a very excellent statement of what we intend to try to do. It is my sincere hope that the public may, out of these hearings, get a forthright picture of just the condition of our airlift today, what we intend to do as the chairman says, and if anything is needed after these hearings are over and after our visual inspection of this Puerto Pine maneuvers, that we can |